Alison Doody

Infobox actor
name = Alison Doody


imagesize =
caption =
birthname = Alison Doody
birthdate = birth date and age|1966|11|11|mf=y
birthplace = flagicon|Ireland Dublin, Ireland
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
occupation = Actor, Model
yearsactive =
spouse = Gavin O'Reilly (1994 - 2005)
domesticpartner =
website =
academyawards =
afiawards =
arielaward =
baftaawards =
cesarawards =
emmyawards =
filmfareawards =
geminiawards =
goldencalfawards =
goldenglobeawards =
goldenraspberryawards =
goyaawards =
grammyawards =
iftaawards =
laurenceolivierawards =
naacpimageawards =
nationalfilmawards =
sagawards =
tonyawards =
awards =

Alison Doody (born November 11, 1966) is an Irish actress and model.

Biography

Early life

The youngest of three children, she was born to a well-off family in Dublin, Ireland. Her mother, Joan, was a beauty therapist, and her father, Patrick, worked in the property business and farmed. [ [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-145080956.html COOL DOODY. | Article from The Evening Standard (London, England) | HighBeam Research ] ] Doody attended Mount Anville Convent. She studied at the National College of Fine Arts, but left after a year.

Career

Approached by a photographer, she took up modeling, which turned into a career in commercial modeling as she stringently avoided glamour and nude work -- a clause which she extended to her acting career Fact|date=May 2008. She came to the attention of the casting director of a new "James Bond" film and accepted a part as Jenny Flex in 1985's "A View to a Kill." She was listed as one of 12 "Promising New Actors of 1986" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 38. [1986] .

Taking up acting professionally, she appeared in various television dramas in London and Dublin, before taking her most memorable role as Austrian Nazi-sympathiser and archaeologist Dr. Elsa Schneider in 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". Her on-screen look was styled to that of Grace Kelly, in line with the wishes of director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas Fact|date=May 2008.

The film brought her to the attention of Hollywood Fact|date=May 2008, where she subsequently relocated. Chosen to replace Cybill Shepard as spokeswoman for L'Oréal, her film career resulted in a few B-movies, including 1988's "Taffin" opposite Pierce Brosnan, and in Jim Henson's 1989 series "The Storyteller", appearing as Sapsorrow. She was chosen as one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People In the World in 1992. She turned down the Sharon Stone role in "Basic Instinct" (1992) because the film had "too much nudity and sexual content" Fact|date=May 2008. Doody wanted to play the role of Ginger in Casino (1995) Fact|date=May 2008, but the role was given to Stone.

Director Peter Jackson offered her the role of "Éowyn" in (2002) and (2003), but she declined due to her impending pregnancy Fact|date=May 2008 with the 18-month on-location production these movies required. The role eventually went to Miranda Otto.

Doody returned to acting with a small role in the British comedy movie "The Actors" with Michael Caine, in which she played herself in an award ceremony scene; the part apparently made her realise how much she missed the business. [citeweb|url=http://www.showbizireland.com/news/may02/14-doody01.shtml|title=Alison Doody Making a Comeback...|publisher=showbizireland.com|date=2002-05-14|accessdate=2008-05-18] She played alongside Patrick Swayze in a television movie adaptation of "King Solomon's Mines" and also starred in a short called "Benjamin's Struggle" (2005), a pamphlet about the Holocaust and in the British TV series "Waking the Dead" (in a two-part episode called "The Fall") in 2007.

Personal life

Missing Ireland and having been dating Gavin O'Reilly, CEO of the Independent News & Media of Ireland and son of media magnate Tony O'Reilly, since 1992; she planned to put her career on hold. The couple married on June 25, 1994 at the O'Reilly family residence Castlemartin, with 560 guests present. Making their home at Bartra House, [citeweb|url=http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2003/03/02/story521590034.asp|title=Rich chase streets of dreams|author=Hughes, Emer|publisher=ThePost.ie|date=2003-03-02|accessdate=2008-05-18] a 10,000 square foot home overlooking the sea in Dalkey, their neighbours included singer Enya and U2 guitarist The Edge. The marriage produced two daughters (Alanna in 1996; Lauren in 1999). She separated from O'Reilly in 2002 and later divorced him. [citeweb|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jan/27/independentnewsmedia|title=O'Reilly junior proves passion for print is in the genes|author=Robinson, James|publisher=The Guardian|date=2008-01-27|accessdate=2008-05-18]

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0233145|name=Alison Doody